Manly m



M. M GILLAM. GLOVE HOLDING, STRETCHING, AND SHAPING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY I2. 1918.

1,319,579. Patented Oct. 21,1919. 69 43.21

MANLY m. GILLAM, or rtusni ve, NEW YORK.

GLOVEJHOLDING, STRETCHING, AND SHAPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

Application filed July 12, 1918. Serial No. 244,585.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANLY M. GILLAM, a citizen of the United .States, residing at Flushing, in the county of Queens, in the State of New York, have "invented certain new and useful Improvements in Glove Holding, Stretching, and Shaping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in glove holding, stretching and shaping devices and specifically to those portions of the saiddevices designed'rto give shape'to the thumb of a glove and, in the skeleton form of said device, to simply and conveniently impart substantial rigidity to the entire shaping form on which the glove is placed in so far as any tendency to depart from a fiat surface under lateral pressure is concerned.

The" helpfulness of a "form, particularly of a skeleton form, on which to dry or shape gloves that are wet from cleaning or washing or are damp from perspiration or from any cause is recognized by-glove wearers generally. Such forms are also effective in restoring the glove to its original slnn, trim and dressy shape after having been worn and they are alsohelpful in easing a new glove so that even when a close fit it can be put on the hand with lesseffort' A device of this nature is usually pushed into place through the posterior or arm ope11 ing of the glove or through a slit at the wrist in the longer forms of gloves. When the digital members of a skeleton form (of wire for instance), including the thumb, are fixed rigidly or with substantial rigidity, in their normally relative positions much practice and skillare usually necessary to quickly slip them into place in the glove, the fingers of the device being on one plane and the thumb form presenting a difl'erent requirement 0t proper approach to its opening, Where it would naturally be engaged before the finger openings of the glove had been reached by the parts designed to engage them. Experience has shown that the four fingers of any glove form may by themselves be easily slipped into 'the corresponding finger openings of a glove wet, damp or dry, and without the need for specially skilful manipulation on the pant of the operator. With a view to simplifying the practical operation ct these forms I attach the thumb ionn or portion of the device to the remainder of:

the structure in such a manner that it may be, at the will of the operator, retired from its normal position sufficiently to permit the engagement of the finger forms of the device with their several glove finger openings without interference from the said thumb form, which said thumb form may then be quickly brought into engagement with the glove thumb opening and the entire device'be easily pushed forward into a position of complete engagement with the fingore and the thumb of the glove.

The design of said thumb form preferred by me not only moves easily in a longitudinal direction on a supporting portion or portions of the glove form. of wire that I also prefer but by reason-o f its method of attachment thereto swings either to the right or to -the left face of the'device at the will or the operator and so serves equally well for a left hand glove or for a right hand glove. While I preferto make the said thumb torm as well as the entire glove form of wire in skeleton outline I do not limit "myself tothat material structure. I

In making a gloveho'lding, stretching and shaping device of wire in the skeleton form prefcrred by me I find it an advantage to employ special means for holding together at their pahnar base the two pertions of wire constituting the parts between the second and third fingers. The wire may be linked or twisted at that point or in other ways be given a degree of rigidity. 'l he simplest and most satisfactory method to my mind is .to effect the union-lbyineans of a clasp so shaped as to also engage radiating elements of the device -and' counteract anytendency of the device as a whole to depart under lateral pressure from a relatively flat surface. When so supported one of the said radiating elements may be satisfactorily used as a partial or complete attachment for the thumbform of the device, permitting the required movement of the said thumb form either posteriorly or anteriorly.

The nature and scope of my present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connec tion with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1, is a view of my invention show :ing the thumb iloi'hi attached to a member of a glove form at wire and in a position for nor to that normally engaging the thumb of a glove. The dotted lines show the said thumb form in a position posterior to that of normal engagement with the thumb of a glove.

Fig. 2, is a view of my invention with the anterior palmar end of the thumb form attached to an element of the device radiating from the point of support at the palmar base of the innerportion of the second and third finger forms.

Fig. 3, is a view of my invention with the posteriorend of the thumb form attached to a member of the central shaft or posterior extension of another design of glove form of wire.

Fig. 4, is a view of my invention-as attached to a marginal rib of a glove form stamped or cut from a fiat material.

Fig. 5, is a view of the clip or clasp I prefer for holding the elements forming the inside of the second and third finger forms together at their palmar base and for giving support to radiating members of the device. Referring to ;the drawings, a represents the thumb form as made of wire and at- 'tached by the loops, 0,, to a member of the glove-form, b, the dotted lines representing the same thumb form in a position posterior to that of normal engagement with the thumb of a glove; 0, represents a radiating element of the glove form to which the thumb form may be partially or wholly attached; d, representsa variety of glove form in which one end of the thumb form is attached to the shank, handle, or posterior elongation of the device; 6, represents a marginal rib on a glove form made from flat material to which the thumb form is attached byloops; 7, represents aclip or clasp for holding members of the device in position with substantial rigidity.

In practical operation the action of my invention as hereinbefore described, is as follows. When a glove is to be put on the form the thumb portion of the form is retired posteriorly on the supporting member or members of the form from its normal position of engagement with the thumb of the glove and laid flat on the palmar portion of the device, the fingers of the glove are slipped onto the finger forms of the device without interference from the thumb form after which the thumb form is moved forward to theposition of desired engagement with the thumb of the glove. Where the said thumb form is wholly or partially attached to one of the members radiating from their support at the palmar base of the second and third finger the movement of said thumb form posteriorly and anteriorly on said member is accomplished with equal facility, the substantial rigidity of the support to said member given by the clip or clasp that I prefer making it a satisfactory base for such movement. It is equally satisfactory in variations of glove forms, as for instance where a central member acts as the stem or handle of the'finger and anterior palmar portion of the device, when upon it or on an element of it one extremity of the thumb form is supported. In still another variety of glove form, cut or stamped from fiat material, I attach the thumb form to a marginal rib of the form or support the thumb form on a stud or bolt operative in a slot in the palmar or wrist body of the device. 1

Having thus described the nature and object'of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byrLetters. Patent is A glove holding, stretching and shaping device made of wire and provided with finger forms and having a support of the elements forming the inside of thesecond and third finger forms so shaped as to hold them in place at their digital base, said support widened toward its posterior portion for clasping radiatingv members of the device whereby any tendency of the device as a whole to depart under lateral pressure from a relatively flatsurface is prevented, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 7 my signature in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

MANLY M. GILLAM.

lVitnesses:

YETTA WOLBORSKY, ARTHUR L. GInLAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents .each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

